Michael Stolper

Michael "Mike" Stolper died on March 22, 2025, at the age of 79, from complications of Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a type of bone marrow cancer.

Mike was born August 15, 1945, to Charles and Rosaline Stolper in Ponca City, Oklahoma. He received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Oklahoma. In 1968, Mike moved to San Diego with his then-wife and the mother of his children to begin work as a stockbroker.

In 1975, Mike founded Stolper & Company, an investment advisory firm. Over the next 40 years, the firm grew to manage over $2B in assets for hundreds of clients nationwide. Mike believed that the important work of investing is best left to dedicated money managers instead of retail stockbrokers. He took pride in his ability to identify investment talent and to carefully allocate his clients' hard-earned money to gifted investors. Mike laid out this approach in his book "Wealth: An Owner's Manual," published in 1993. The book won him appearances in the national media and supercharged the firm's growth. Outside of Stolper & Company, Mike served on the boards of Janus Capital Management, Aster Capital Management, Pasadena Growth Funds, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Windowpane Advisors, and actively on two boards associated with ArrowMark Partners, the Meridian Growth Fund, and the ArrowMark Financial Corporation.

In 1998, Mike was introduced to Lonna Williams, who became his life partner and spouse. In 2010, they built a home, and then, a life, in Aspen, Colorado. Together, they traveled the world, hosted and attended dinner parties and events, and enjoyed numerous friendships in Aspen and San Diego. Mike was a voracious reader. Always aware of current events, he was able to carry on an informed conversation on most any subject. In addition to reading, he spent hours exercising his extreme intellect and vocabulary doing crossword puzzles and word games.

Above all else, Mike cherished family. One way of communicating his love for his family was through a constant stream of emails specific to whatever may be happening in their lives. If you had a trip to New York planned, you were sure to receive Mike's suggestions on hotels to stay, restaurants to try, art installations to visit, and Broadway shows to see. A good father, Mike worked hard and traveled extensively for business, but when in town, he always made it a point to be home by 5 pm to spend time with his sons. He was a constant fixture at his sons' and grandchildren's sporting events, birthday parties, and graduations. He had a particular soft spot for his grandchildren and would drop everything to spend time with them.

Mike will be remembered by friends and family for his wise counsel, incisive wit, tireless optimism, and seemingly endless supply of "one-liners." He proudly had no hobbies outside of reading and complaining about taxes and government ineptitude. However, as he achieved success in business, he enjoyed driving sports cars, starting with a Ferrari that he drove at the Bob Bondurant School of Racing in Arizona. Be it a Ferrari, a Porsche, Audi, or Mercedes, he liked cars, and loved the option of going fast, yet rarely exercised it.

Michael is survived by his wife, Lonna, brother Jay (Tisha Onick), sons Scott (Mary), Andrew (Yuliya Lyubovnaya), and Jordan (Laura Leffler); grandchildren Paxton, Ethan, Austin, Hugo, Juliet, and Cyrus. Mike's professional legacy endures under the stewardship of Barbara Malone, his long-time business partner at Stolper & Company.

A celebration of life will be held this summer.